Foreign Sorcery
by wizardcow
Summary: Audrey Moon unexpectedly discovers that she's a witch, destined to study at Hogwarts. Also, it turns out that she has her own brand of sorcery. With the help of her sister, her friends and Harry Potter himself, Audrey discovers the wonders of magic.
1. Audrey

Audrey Moon had always had an interesting life. Yet, she never completely discovered who she was until much later in her life; when she was eleven years old, in fact. She knew that her family was marked by something very different according to the typical American family. Yes, her parents were both foreigners from Europe, but there was a very securely hidden secret in the family. Ever since she could talk and think for herself, she noticed that her father sometimes did very strange things (like being visited by owls. Rarely, but it had happened) and he often went on business trips to Europe, mostly England, taking with him strange clothing like cloaks and robes. And when she was eight her sister, Marianne, left for boarding school in England. But this was very strange, since Marianne never told Audrey of the long airplane flights or the stories about her school or about her teachers and friends. And Marianne packed her strange belongings (quills, parchment, books, cloaks) in a trunk instead of suitcases, like a normal person, Audrey thought. Of course, being a curious child, she had always asked about her papa's business trips and her sister's things (especially a wooden stick, like a wand, which she saw once when her sister was packing her trunk). But her papa always told her " You'll understand when you're older and go off to boarding school." And Marianne would insist "It's nunya business! Go away!" So this basically made Audrey more curious. Unfortunately, her papa could, apparently, keep the family secret, well, secret and so could Marianne. But she would always lower her eyebrows and grimace and say "I'll find out, you know, I will."  
  
Try as she might, she never understood. Many times she would come so close that if she had just looked more closely, the great secret would have appeared right before her eyes. But Audrey lived her life in New England as a carefree, innocent girl, her only problems of teachers and schoolwork. And then, something terrible happened to the family that changed the course of their lives. Isabella Moon, Audrey's mother, died of a heart attack. Audrey began to shut herself up in her room, not wanting to look at the rest of the world, not wanting to see happiness. Marianne, the vivacious one, wouldn't talk much anymore, creating the dullest and gloomiest atmosphere in the household. And Jonathan Moon was nowhere to be seen. More often than not, he was extremely busy at work and hardly ever stayed at home with his lonely daughters. Not only did this tragedy affect Audrey and the rest of her family, it was also of great importance to Austria, where Isabella had been part of a noble family. Naturally, Audrey went to the grand funeral in Austria with the rest of her family. But Audrey, Marianne and Jonathan regretted having gone, as it was awful. It was especially horrible for Audrey, who was the youngest at only ten years of age. Everyone who attended knew who she was, and they kept pointing fingers and giving glances full of sympathy. Whispers followed her wherever she went.  
  
"Is that Lady Isabella's child?"  
  
"What a poor, sweet thing!"  
  
"It must be awful losing a mother."  
  
"And she's so young!"  
  
Audrey couldn't take it anymore, it was too much. All the black clothing, all the lilies, all the nodding of the head, all the pretending that nothing was wrong, all the people looking at her with such sad and pitying faces. When she arrived back home, she was so happy to get back to her normal daily routine, forcing her to not have to think of her mother every second she was alone. But the day they returned to the house her father announced, very gravely, that they would be moving soon. "To England! But Papa, I like America. I love it here, even. I like school and I have friends and -" but she was interrupted by one of her father's menacing looks. "But Papa, I'm only ten and I don't have a mother." She stopped. Her father's expression was so saddened by these words. This was the last thing Audrey had expected to say, but her mouth flew and it was too late. She had not meant to say this, she later remembered. It was just that she had finally adjusted to school and now she would have to start again, in a different country, for that matter. But what could she do? Absolutely nothing.  
  
To England they moved the next summer, where Marianne was closer to school and her father's accent wasn't out of place, as it had been in New England. Although the rest of the family quickly got back on track (missing Isabella greatly, but still going), Audrey did not adjust to her new "home." She refused to go out of the house for any occasion except going to school because she wanted to keep her father happy after everything that had happened. She would close herself up in her bedroom, reading books and more books. Reading was her obsession. The idea that she could get out of this world and into her own fantasy gave her reason to keep on going. She obeyed her teachers and she rarely fought with her sister. Even though she put a smile on her lips and never complained or behaved badly, she wasn't doing very well. Marianne was the first to notice that something was going wrong, badly wrong.  
  
"Hey, are you ok?" she asked during the first Christmas break since they moved.  
  
"Yeah, Mari, I'm fine" Audrey would smile. But Marianne noticed the exhaustion and great remorse in Audrey's grey eyes.  
  
"How was school?" Marianne tried again.  
  
"It was fine. I like the holidays, though" Audrey smiled again. "How was yours?"  
  
"It was great! Although, I think I didn't do as well in my History of Ma. of Madagascar class as I should of." Marianne tried not to blink, but Audrey noticed she was lying. History of Madagascar? Ok.this was a bit unusual. "But it was good." Marianne trailed off again. Audrey knew something was up. This was the first time in three years that Marianne had ever said anything about her school. Audrey wanted to keep on talking to Marianne, but her sister had left the room quickly, cursing at herself. She tried forgetting about it, but it was hard. Marianne was so strange from all the other teenagers around. She wasn't into pop music or into the clothing fashions of the time or into the movies as much as a normal (in Audrey's opinion) teenager should be. And even though she had gotten used to having Marianne at school all year, she thought that it would be better next year when she would join Marianne at the boarding school, even if there was a History of Madagascar class.  
  
This boarding school had become one of Audrey's main interests. Being the last year in primary school, all the other children had found the next school which they would attend for seven years. This was a different experience for Audrey, especially since in the states, one went to elementary school for about nine years and then on to high school.  
  
But Audrey's father hadn't even begun to search for a new school. Audrey supposed she would either be attending the public school or that she would somehow find a way to apply to Marianne's school. But applying to Marianne's school was impossible, she found, because she didn't even know the name, location, etc. about this school. Actually, she didn't know anything at all, except that Marianne had to take the train from London to get there and that Marianne would leave a week before term started to meet with some friends and get her supplies for the year. But Audrey let it be. She knew her father would do something about school; he wouldn't abandon the situation, would he?  
  
As the school year kept going, her father didn't mention anything about what she would do next year and Audrey stayed quite the same: solitary, quiet and shy. And as the school year came to a close, Audrey couldn't stand the situation at hand. She had to ask her father, she just had to. Two days after the term ended and summer began, Audrey went up to her father. She was a bit nervous, especially because after Isabella's death she usually didn't stand up to her father and she didn't usually talk much except when talked to. But she gathered the tiny bit of courage she had inside her.  
  
"Papa, where will I go to school? You haven't said anything and I thought I would be going with Mari next year, but -"  
  
"Of course you'll join Marianne for next term" he replied, looking at her from his desk.  
  
"But where will I go? I don't even know the name of the school. And you haven't applied me anywhere, and-" she wavered some, knowing that she was probably saying too much already. She played with her hands, twisting her fingers, her light skin even paler in the dim light of her father's study.  
  
"Audrey, don't fret. I've already talked to the headmaster and I believe you'll be accepted sometime this summer." Her father smiled at her, his eyes twinkling and full of laughter, something that rarely happened, especially since they moved to England. Audrey nodded her head and turned around, going out the door and into her room. It wasn't full with many things, just a bed with a simple bed cover, a desk that was usually covered with school books, bare walls, a wall-length mirror a bit taller than her with a plain wooden frame, and, most treasured than anything else, a tall bookshelf that reached up to the ceiling. It was made of a dark oak with strange markings and engravings on the sides. The patterns seemed to be of deep gashes and swirled marks, creating a structure that looked mysterious but welcoming. It looked as if it had been in existence for a long period of time but it was still very sturdy and the engravings hadn't even worn off. It had been her mother's and Audrey had taken possession of it because of her love for books, a trait she had inherited from Isabella. When entering the room, she locked the door, grabbed the book she was reading and threw herself on the small bed. Her books had been her salvation during that first year in a foreign country. There was nothing better than shutting herself up in her room and drifting off to fantasy lands full of magic and adventure, with heroism and bravery. These stories made her forget about where she was and when she was at school, these adventures would make the long lessons bearable. But at the moment, nothing could help her worrying thoughts. 'Where is Marianne's school, and why doesn't anyone tell me anything? I guess they still think I'm a little girl. Mama would have told me. She didn't ignore me. But she never told me about Mari's school either. Why don't I understand this?' All of a sudden, a cat with shinny, glossy black fur leaped unto her stomach.  
  
"Hello, Stardust. Did you get your dinner?" Audrey rubbed his ears and looked gently at his eyes. They were golden flecked with dark brown streaks and by looking into them, Audrey found herself at peace, like always. Stardust had been the other comfort Audrey had in England. She loved him dearly and it seemed that Stardust liked her company as well. Her father usually found them together on Audrey's bed, like two dear friends talking and understanding each other clearly. Marianne had tried to bring Stardust with her to school, but the cat seemed to refuse and would rather stay with Audrey. "Look Stardust, I'm reading about magic" Audrey began to say, but stopped. After a pause, she continued "Of course it's magic, I'm always reading about magic!" She slammed the book down on the floor and looked back at the cat. "Magic, it's such a cruel lie. And here I am, wishing it were real. I'm lying to myself. You must get sick of hearing me ramble about my magic lands and my."  
  
"I don't mind."  
  
".fantasy adventures and all of...What?" Audrey stared at the cat in astonishment. It was looking straight back, its golden eyes full of mischief. "Did you.you didn't.were you.am I going crazy?" Audrey stumbled upon the words, not knowing exactly whether to jump up and run out of the room or stay as still as possible.  
  
"I don't think you are, but I wouldn't exactly know. I'm a feline, after all. Humans are quite different when it comes to problems in the brain, or so I've heard." Audrey heard these words, but she did not see them spoken. And her cat was just casually regarding her while at the same time licking his front paw. Audrey didn't say anything for a minute or so, but was frantically thinking of excuses that would explain this. But she couldn't come up with anything.  
  
"Don't worry. You've been able to hear me for ages. You just didn't acknowledge the facts in front of you." Stardust had finished cleaning his left paw and had started on the right, lifting it up while glancing at Audrey.  
  
"But I didn't say anything. And you haven't actually said anything either" Audrey was now shocked beyond anything else. There was absolutely no explanation available, or so it seemed.  
  
"Audrey, I said don't worry about it. And don't look at me like that. I know I can't talk, you can just hear my thoughts." He was ferociously attacking his side with his pink, leathery tongue.  
  
"Ok, so if I can hear you, can you hear me?" Audrey was getting accustomed to this. And hey, maybe it could be fun. 'Stardust can be my friend' she thought.  
  
"Well, I can hear you when you're thinking about me or when you don't mind me hearing you. And of course I'll be your friend, I always have been." This time, the cat looked gently at her and stopped cleaning himself. She was about to ask Stardust something by only thinking, but there was a sudden rap on the door.  
  
"Audrey, sweetie. Are you ok?" Her father slowly cracked the door, looking in at her. "I think you should go to bed now, it's getting late." He came in and crossed over to her bed, patting Stardust on the head.  
  
I'm fine, Papa. Just reading my book" she hastily pointed at the book lying on the floor with all the pages rumpled.  
  
"Oh." her father bent down and grabbed on to the book. "What's this one about?" he asked kindly while placing it on the bed beside his daughter.  
  
"Um, it's summer reading. I, um, I'm getting a head start" she mumbled, picking the book up and smoothing down the cover.  
  
"The Golden Compass, from the series 'His Dark Materials.' Sounds very educational" he looked at Audrey with a teasingly questioned look.  
  
"Immensely educational" she grinned.  
  
"Listen, I have to go to London tomorrow on business. I'll pick Marianne up at the train station while I'm there. You call the neighbors if you need anything, ok?" her father rubbed the cat again.  
  
"Oh," Audrey pushed herself up with her hands anxiously "can I come with you?"  
  
"It'll be boring, I promise." Her father decided to risk it. "I'll be meeting with the Ministry of Magic in the morning and then going on to buy a magic wand. Would you like something?" He grinned and looked at his daughter.  
  
"Boring? I'll go!" Audrey smiled. "Papa, I wish you were saying the truth. So don't tease me like that. One day, I'll find myself believing you. I'll be ok, just don't forget to call me."  
  
"I won't forget. Come along, Stardust. Bedtime." He lightly kissed Audrey on the head and gently pushed the cat off the bed and walked towards the door. "Good night, sweetie."  
  
"Bye, Papa. I love you." Audrey blew a kiss as her father closed the door. She glimpsed at the book and cringed. The pages had crumpled and folded when she had thrown it on the floor. "And this was one Mama had given me" she whispered to herself. She placed the worn book lovingly on the bookshelf and returned to her bed, pulling the covers up to her chest. She fell asleep immediately.  
  
Early the next morning, Audrey woke with a start. She remembered how Stardust had talked to her the night before. But then she lay back down. She had probably been sleeping and dreaming already, she thought. She let it go, but got out of bed just the same. She wanted to prepare dinner for Marianne's homecoming, just as her mother had always done. She quickly got dressed and went down to the kitchen, which was full of sunshine and dirty dishes from her father's breakfast. Stardust came and rubbed against her legs, begging for food. "You haven't eaten yet, have you, sweetie?" she crooned.  
  
"No, and I'm starving! Do you have fish?" he asked excitedly.  
  
So it hadn't been a dream, and Audrey found that she could talk to Stardust. 


	2. Secrets

Cooking and preparing Marianne's homecoming dinner was left undone. Audrey quickly forgot about anything else but her new talent that she had recently discovered. It was amazing how much she found out in just a few hours' time talking to her dear friend Stardust. And the more she communicated with her cat, the more she got accustomed to talking with her mind and not her voice. It was unbelievable how much she learned about herself. But Stardust had been part of the family for a long while and he too kept the well- guarded secret which Audrey desperately wanted to know.  
"How is this happening to me?" Audrey stuttered. "I mean, why, and what does it mean?"  
"Well, I'm not exactly sure. You have been able to talk to me for a long while; you just never actually noticed it." Stardust jumped unto the kitchen table and lay his head down on his front paws. "Besides, think of it as a good thing."  
"Think of it as a good thing, huh?" she questioned herself. 'Jeez, here I am talking to my cat and he says it's a good thing. He told me it's a good thing.I must be going crazy, really,' she thought to herself, nervously eyeing the cat.  
"Hey, no insulting the cat! You know, I can still hear you, especially when you're pondering about me."  
"Oh, sorry. I guess I'm not used to this yet." She blushed uncontrollably.  
"It's quite alright. I completely understand. You'll just have to harness your talent and practice to perfect it." Stardust suddenly lifted his head upright.  
"What is it?" Audrey looked towards the window.  
"I believe we shall be having company shortly."  
"What?" She got up and crossed over to the window over the still- dirty and messy sink. "Oh, bloody hell!" Her father's fancy foreign car was visible further down the road and in a few, short seconds; he would be standing at the front door with Marianne.  
"Don't panic!" Stardust hissed. "Just remain calm and don't look so flustered."  
"But I haven't even cleaned the kitchen! It's still filthy!" she whispered.  
"Audrey, listen to me!" Stardust leapt in front of her, stopping her from running to the front hall. "Haven't you read millions of books, your fantasy literature? I'm positive that you can easily invent and produce a likely story." Audrey looked at the black cat, knowing exactly what he meant, but also knowing that she would have to lie.  
"But, I don't want to lie." She looked back towards the front hall, still undecided about what she should do, hearing the cars doors close outside in the driveway.  
"Then don't lie. Who said anything about lying?" He pranced towards the front door, occasionally looking back at Audrey with his golden eyes.  
"You did!" she said incredulously.  
"Well, then -"  
"Stardust, I can't do this. I'm such a failure!" She began to tremble, just because she got caught up in something else. Her hands came up to her face, clutching her cheeks and she could feel the pressure of her fingernails digging deep into her skin. The front door opened and the rustle of cloaks could be heard. Stricken with fright of how her father might scold her, Audrey remained planted to the carpet-covered floor, her eyes searching the next room, which happened to be the sitting room, her mind circling with ideas and excuses. But nothing that would fully explain the situation came to mind.  
"Audrey!" her sister called from the front hall. "Hey, Audrey! Papa's got something for you!"  
"Oh, what am I going to do?!" Audrey thought to herself, looking directly at Stardust who was looking back at her.  
"Just relax. They won't murder you for not cleaning the kitchen. They didn't even ask of you to do this task." Stardust pounced unto a dark blue lounge chair in the sitting room and situated himself on his hind legs. "Just tell them the truth."  
"The truth?!" Audrey shouted disbelievingly.  
"Audrey is everything alright?" her father's voice sounded from the front hall. His footsteps were coming closer and were getting louder.  
"Um, yeah, everything's just fine." Audrey looked around her and ran to the dark blue sofa. She stiffly sat down and looked towards the entrance.  
"Are you sure?" Jonathan Moon's round face could barely be seen because of the many packages and boxes he carried in his arms. "Sweetie, would you help me? This is heavy and my strength isn't what it used to be."  
"Oh, sure." Audrey meekly got up and crossed the room, outstretching her arms to get a package or two. "What is all this for?" she asked quietly. Although she would have much rather opened the three strangely- shaped packages she took from her father, she set them down on the glass- topped coffee table in the center of their sitting room.  
"Actually, some are your birthday presents, so don't go shaking them or rummaging." He smiled at her. He looked travel-worn and his usual jovial presence was somewhat dimmed. His dark hair was disheveled and his eyes looked weary with exhaustion. His clothes weren't donned with the usual grace that Jonathan Moon was known for in his business world. But it was Audrey's father, and she went up to him, put her arms around his neck and went on tip-toe to kiss him on the cheek. "Don't you go sugaring me up," he smirked. "You still have a couple of days, you know."  
"Papa, I'm simply greeting you as a daughter should." Audrey replied.  
"Simply greeting me, eh? Well, in that case, this is for you." He handed her a small box and kissed her on the forehead. During this time Marianne had entered the sitting room, straining to pull her trunk along with her. "Mari, come," Jonathan called to her.  
"Well, aren't you going to open it?" Mari looked interestedly at the small package Audrey gingerly turned in her hands. "I don't even know what it is. Papa wouldn't tell me."  
"I want to open it, but I have to tell you something first." Audrey looked first to her sister's flushed face and then at her father's. Glancing quickly at Stardust, who hadn't moved one centimeter, she began. "Mari, I'm so sorry but I don't have your welcome feast prepared. I haven't even cleared the kitchen from this morning. I haven't done anyth-"  
"Hey, it's ok. I was so excited to see you and to tell you the good ne-" Mari was promptly interrupted by her father.  
"Audrey, Mari just wants to say that it's not a problem. There's no need for a feast. And anyways, it's not your responsibility to keep the household; that's a family duty." Jonathan squeezed Audrey hard.  
"I know, but I wanted to surprise you, to make you happy," Audrey sighed and she looked down to her hands where the small beige box still resided.  
"Audrey, we don't need a feast or a clean house to be happy," Mari smiled. "I completely forgot about that. I just wanted to see you again. Don't worry so much about it."  
"Well, in that case, I have something to tell you." She looked at her father and shivered a bit. 'Stardust, will they think me crazy? Will they want to get rid of me? Will they stop being here for me?' she thought.  
'Of course not,' she heard Stardust whisper back. 'Just tell them.'  
"Papa, I discovered something today. Something about me in specific." She stood up and paced the floor, looking out the window and back at Stardust.  
"Go on, tell me." Jonathan looked queerly at his daughter.  
"It's nothing dangerous. I'm not sick or anything like that. It's just that I can talk to, to Stardust, the cat, our Stardust." She whispered the last few words, stumbling on them, scared to tell them out. She looked at Mari and was shocked to see her greatly smiling.  
"Audrey, that's so wonderful! Ooh! I'm so excited. Papa, can we tell her yet?" Mari beamed. She jumped from her seat and her long black curls shook with her enthusiasm.  
"Tell me what?" Audrey looked mysteriously at her father and narrowed her eyes. This was so highly suspicious, as her family always told her many things. This could actually be the great secret.  
"Something that will have to wait, I'm afraid," Jonathan Moon looked away and out the window. "Just a few more days, and then Audrey will be, will be more grown up." he trailed off.  
"Well, it's only just a little while longer. You can wait, can't you Audrey?" Marianne hugged her sister quickly and rushed to her trunk. "I'll be trying to get this stupid trunk up to my room. Just call if you need anything." She left, dragging Stardust with her, cooing words of love to him.  
"Audrey, I want you to tell me everything that happened. And don't leave anything out. Do you understand, honey? This is very serious." Jonathan's face was extremely stern, a mood which Audrey rarely saw. But she knew this was important to him and she tried her best. She placed the small box on the coffee table and sat down next to her father. She looked at his face; the jutting jaw, his large, glossy eyes, his small mouth. His untidy hair, which shook each time he made the slightest movement, hung over his dark brows. And at that moment, his forehead, wrinkled like the sand streamed with rain water, openly showed his stern mood.  
"It happened so quickly.last night, just before you came in to say goodnight, I just talked to Stardust like I usually do and then I heard him in my head. I heard his voice, and I knew it was him. It was so strange because it was so familiar, but not at the same time. Somewhere in my heart I felt like I've always been able to talk to him. I've just been on sleep mode, or something like that. But then it also scared me, a lot. I thought I was going crazy, that I was sick or something. Am I ok?"  
"You're perfectly healthy. Well, at least now you've told me and you don't have to carry this burden by yourself." Jonathan stroked his daughter's head and hugged her to him. "Sweetie, I believe you completely. And during the summer, you'll understand why I'm so certain of this."  
"During the summer? Why can't you just tell me now?" Audrey's stomach twisted. This was part of the secret, the one which had been torturing her all of her life. And once again, she knew she wouldn't be finding it out.  
"I would tell you right this second. But Isabella, your dear mother, asked me not to say anything until your eleventh birthday. And so I shall do as she begged of me." There was a long pause in which Audrey could hear Marianne putting her things away in her room upstairs. 'Why my eleventh birthday.why not my tenth, or my sixteenth? It doesn't make any sense. What's so important about it that my own mother wouldn't want me to know? What makes my father go out wearing strange cloaks? And what makes Mari be so different, with her unknown boarding school and friends? I just want to know that!'  
'Audrey dear,' she heard Stardust say in her head, 'don't think about it. Your birthday is in less than a week. Just wait. I promise it's wonderful.'  
'Stardust, I love you so much!' Audrey thought. She wanted to go squeeze him. 'Make sure I give you tuna tonight.'  
'Sounds good to me!'  
"Let's go out to eat tonight," Jonathan suddenly woke up. It also brought Audrey back to the sitting room, her father sitting right next to her. "I haven't done that in a long while. And let's go somewhere extremely fancy, just for fun. We'll celebrate summer." He paced up the stairs to his bedroom without looking back.  
"Ok, papa. I'll go tell Marianne," Audrey called after him. She looked at the coffee table and found the small beige box still waiting patiently. 'I'll wait until my birthday to open it,' she thought to Stardust as she walked to Marianne's door.  
'Actually, that's a marvelous idea. I think it would be best,' Stardust responded. 'Would you let me out? I want to wash myself, but not in her presence.'  
Audrey laughed to herself. 'Such a selfish cat, Stardust. Yeah, sure. Just wait a sec.' She rapped lightly on the door and Mari's curly brown head stuck out.  
"What?" Mari asked confused.  
"Nothing. Papa wants us to go out to dinner, somewhere fancy, he says." Audrey attempted to glance around the bedroom, but Marianne made sure that the view was blocked. "Oh, and Stardust says he want to go out. He wants to clean himself, or something. I don't know. He likes to ramble."  
"Oh!" Mari jumped slightly. "I forgot about your little talent. Sorry about that, Stardust." The gleaming black fur of the cat was barely visible as he scattered out of the bedroom and down the hall.  
"Can we talk?" Audrey gently asked. She knew that she and her sister didn't chat at all. It was rare when they had conversations when crossing paths, so this felt awkward and strange. Audrey sincerely felt that she and Marianne needed to settle some things now or never.  
"Audrey, I can't right now." Mari looked back into her room. From the tiny peek Audrey got, Mari's room looked like a pack of wild creatures had made it their playroom. "Let me just get dressed so we can leave."  
"Marianne, listen to me." Audrey felt herself being more assertive than usual. She wasn't accustomed to confronting people, even if it was just her sister. "I need to you to talk to me. You don't have to tell me anything, I just need to hear your voice and feel your mind working."  
"I'm so sorry." Marianne's face looked so pained that Audrey felt like bursting to tears. And that's exactly what she did. It wasn't something she could help. Nothing she could regulate. And sadly, Marianne wasn't one of those people who can easily comfort those who are suffering. Audrey stood sobbing at Marianne's door for a minute or so. Marianne thought it best if she let her sister go through it on her own. So Marianne and Audrey remained distant from one another.  
"Why can't anyone tell me anything? Why is it so hard to tell me? I just don't understand you or papa. It makes no sense. I just want to know why both of you act so queerly. And then, I begin to talk to Stardust. A cat. Now I'm queer and strange and just plain weird. How can I talk to a cat? Why is this happening to me?" Audrey cried her heart out. Ever since her mother had left, the strange occurrences in her family seemed more frequent and more noticeable. It wasn't normal, she thought. It was downright bizarre. But if her father was saying the truth and her own mother didn't want her to know until her birthday, then she would wait. She could make it five more days. 


	3. Witch

Audrey woke up slowly, letting the sunshine from the window completely seep into her small room. She looked around her and sighed, knowing that even though today was a special day, it certainly didn't really feel like it. Outside, a small breeze was sweeping through the branches of the trees in front of the Moon house and inside, the rooms were very empty and quite dead. There was no one in the household this morning because of Jonathan's unexpected business trips and because Marianne had left earlier to visit some friends. How Marianne was allowed to go kilometers away to visit friends, Audrey had no idea. It didn't seem natural that her father let Marianne, a thirteen-year-old girl, travel the country alone. Maybe Marianne had some friends who picked her up. But trying to push these thoughts away from her mind, Audrey wanted to enjoy the day as much as possible since this would be the only time she would ever be just freshly aged eleven. And since the sun was beautiful outside and the household was empty, she climbed out of her bed, quickly donned some clothing, and ran outside to sit in the grass.  
  
She laid herself out underneath the grand oak tree that towered over the neighborhood and looked up at the branches, wishing, dreaming and hoping for things she knew would never take place. The wind blew gently through the leaves, producing a beautifully calming, rustling noise that was pleasant to the ears. 'I'm eleven,' she thought to herself, stretching out and breathing deeply. ' And now I'm much older, though I don't feel it..Eleven, that's a strange number. One, one.'  
  
Her thoughts trailed on, flying up to the sky, swirling in the wind. A few minutes later, her train of consciousness changed to a different topic. 'Why is it that we're the only house in this entire neighborhood that has a tall, healthy tree?' She lifted herself up on her elbows and glanced at the other houses on her street. The small birdhouse-like houses each had a patch of grass in the front, bare except for some bushes, a petit garden or little sprouts of branches that were somehow considered to be trees. Her oak tree seemed to be stretching to touch the clouds, rising high above her. Audrey lay back down and let the wind take her mind and let it think of whichever subject it came upon. The sun trickled through the branches loaded heavy with leaves and the light danced on the ground next to where Audrey's body was sprawled casually.  
  
Audrey lazily got to her feet and went inside, pausing at the door to look up at the crisp blue sky. 'Stardust!' she called gently in her head. She climbed the stairs and went inside her bedroom to sit on the bed and think some more.  
  
'Happy Birthday, Audrey!' Stardust exclaimed excitedly as he dashed into Audrey's small room and gracefully leaped unto her lap. 'So, have you opened the small beige box yet?' He settled himself between her legs and regarded her with curiosity.  
  
"Oh!" Audrey cried suddenly. 'I completely forgot about the box. I was too busy trying not to think about it that I actually didn't think of it anymore!' She laughed to herself, but then she quickly snapped her head back and her eyes widened. 'Today's my eleventh birthday.' She cautiously looked at the drawer where she had hidden the little beige box days before.  
  
'Well, go open it,' Stardust urged her. 'You should, and now is the best time since no one is home.'  
  
'But didn't papa want me to open it when he gave it to me?'  
  
'I believe you chose rightly when you decided to leave the package unopened until your birthday. In this way, you will keep your mother's wish and you will better understand your situation.' Stardust stared directly at Audrey with a serious expression.  
  
'Why? What's so important about my being eleven?' Audrey shifted her weight and gingerly stood up, gently pushing Stardust to the side.  
  
'Just open the parcel and you'll discover what it is.' Stardust sat on his haunches and his golden eyes bore into Audrey's.  
  
'You know what it is? And you didn't tell me?' Audrey looked incredulously at her cat.  
  
'I only have an estimate of what is contained in that small box. But my opinion doesn't matter.'  
  
Stardust's urging and curiosity got the better of Audrey and she swiftly went to her desk, grabbed the handle to the drawer and pulled it open. She frantically searched through its contents, muttering to herself. The she spotted the box, the creamy-colored surface close to her fingertips. She scooped it up in her hands and brought it over to Stardust, who was regarding it with caution. She hurriedly crouched on her bed and placed the box on one palm, then the other, trying to envision what she was holding.  
  
'Wait, no one ever said it was important,' Audrey quickly discovered. 'Could it actually be important? It's just a small little box.'  
  
'My dear, it is important only if you wish it to be.' Stardust nudged Audrey's hand and pushed it closer to the beige box. 'Just open it, it could just be a good surprise, I believe.' Audrey took the box, tipped it to the side and untied the brown string. She dug her fingernails into the grooves of the edges of the top and lightly and carefully pulled it open. Lots of tissue paper was revealed and Audrey cautiously rummaged though it, finding a beautiful sterling silver ring. The metal was a bit worn and had a dark, grayish tint to it, but the gleam and shine of the ring was magnificent. It wasn't wide, but also not narrow; it was a petit width and when Audrey pushed it unto her ring finger on her left hand, it was her precise size. On the top, there was a gorgeous stone cut into the metal, its color a rosy amber, pretty yet subtle. This stone was as wide as her ring finger and the light softly reflected off its surface. In the middle of the stone was another rock, but it was unpolished. It was very miniscule, the size of one's pupils when there is a blinding light glaring into one's eyes, and its color was the same dusty rose amber as the stone it was encrusted into, but it was duller and somewhat darker, but still wonderfully mysterious just the same.  
  
Stardust was intently staring at the piece of jewelry which Audrey wore on her finger. 'Stardust, I don't think it's very important, but it sure feels like it.' She glanced down at the ring and rolled her hand from side to side so that she could see it glimmer and shine.  
  
'I suggest you keep that safe, from everyone.' Stardust's tone had become grave and cautious, his manner frightened and alert. He jumped off the bed and went towards the door, glancing at Audrey for a moment before he slipped through the opening to the hallway.  
  
Audrey was shocked. Never before had her Stardust been so stark and abrupt towards her, he'd always been gentle and kind, understanding and comforting. But now, when his comments could be heard and when she could directly communicate with him, he turned away in fear. What was so significant about this tiny piece of metal?  
  
'Stardust is probably just over reacting. A ring couldn't posses any power!' She grasped the ring, slipped it off her pale finger and placed it among the crinkly tissue paper in the box. Thinking of Stardust's bizarre behavior, she slid the top and bottom together and quickly let the box rest on top of her desk. Still in wonder, she gathered herself and found her way downstairs to the sitting room where she took a promising book from the shelves and plopped down in the dark blue armchair, allowing her troubles to flow from her mind to the story being unraveled in her imagination.  
  
That night, Jonathan and Marianne surprised Audrey with a small celebration including cake, presents and many smiles. Usually, nothing atypical happened on someone's birthday in their family except that there was giving of gifts. But Marianne had believed that this was a unique occasion, marking Audrey's coming of age. But Audrey did not know this, and the news she received that night was unbelievably incredible. Never before could she completely believe in what she heard, it had always just been a dream that couldn't be reached. It was exactly like the egg and long-necked bottle experiment. It looks fully impossible, yet no matter how it seems, the egg could simply (and amazingly) slip right through the neck. It was possible.  
  
After dinner (which Marianne had prepared by herself, using Isabella's treasured cookbook that had been in existence for many, many generations) Jonathan and Audrey helped Marianne clear the kitchen and clean the dishes before residing in the dark blue-based sitting room. Audrey took a seat on the sofa, relaxing into its contours and breathing deeply, knowing that she felt very safe and secure. Jonathan joined her, neatly lowering himself next to her as he called "Marianne! Where are you?" towards the kitchen.  
  
"I'm here!" she grinned as she swooped through the doorway carrying some brightly wrapped packages. "I wouldn't miss this for the world!" She seemed so giddy and excited, carelessly dropping the packages on the glass-topped coffee table and hurriedly rushing to the big bay window to securely draw the dark blue drapes, leaving the sitting room warmly lit by the soft electric lighting.  
  
By this time, Audrey's thoughts were whizzing in swirls, confused and greatly curious. 'Why is Marianne so excited? It's just a couple of presents.And why did she shut the windows and close the drapes?' But her wondering was abruptly terminated when the room became deathly silent and Audrey found Jonathan and Marianne intently staring at her. She was about to break the still air when her father uttered the oddest word she had ever heard.  
  
"Accio!" he whispered with a commanding hiss. He tightly held on to a long wooden stick. It was a beautiful mahogany color, thin and supple, so brilliantly remarkable that Audrey couldn't keep her eyes elsewhere. Immediately after her father spoke, he held out his hand to the air and clutched at something which Audrey didn't see. His face was set in the gravest expression, his usually jovial face stern, the eyes dark and intimidating, his lips forming the straightest line. Out of the corner of her eye, Audrey saw Marianne, who was sitting on the plushy armchair trying to contain herself, her hands trembling and twisting around each other. Her large black eyes were glued directly on Jonathan's clenched hand, slightly sparkling with great anticipation. Focusing her attention back to her father, Audrey gasped with utter surprise, for in Jonathan's upturned palm was the mysterious ring she had found in the small beige box earlier that day.  
  
"Audrey, my child. I believe that it is now time to let you in on something that we've been hiding from you for quite a long while."  
  
Jonathan Moon, the usually self-controlled and proper business man, sighed heavily with difficulty. Audrey did not breathe one word, but remained still, steadily gazing into her father's eyes. She was frightened out of her mind, but yet safer than she'd felt in a long time because her father's voice was deep, loving and extremely comforting. His dark brown eyes were darkest black and his mouth quivered, uncertain whether if he should continue or stop and keep it to himself.  
  
"Papa, just tell her, will you?" Marianne blurted. By just glancing at her sitting in the armchair, anyone could see that she could no longer sustain herself, and if her father had waited a few seconds more, Marianne would have told Audrey herself. But Jonathan gathered and prepared himself.  
  
"Audrey, we are a unique family in this neighborhood. I know you have noticed that sometimes things that normally don't happen to people happen to us." He was now very confident in himself and his tone of voice grew steadier.  
  
"Like the owls?" Audrey suddenly emitted. "Or how we're the only house in this area to have an enormous tree in our front yard? And the fact that I can talk to Stardust and he answers back?" she finished.  
  
"Those are perfect examples," he smiled cautiously, but he began to ease himself and continued. "There is an explanatory reason for these occurrences and now that you are of age, I may inform you about our family's true nature. Audrey, my dear, you are, by birth, a witch."  
  
Marianne leapt up from her seat and ran over to Audrey, where she gave Audrey a tight, loving embrace. She was beaming and ecstatic. "Oh, now you finally know and now I can talk to you about everything!"  
  
"Marianne, give her some space. So, what do you say Audrey?" Jonathan looked carefully at his youngest daughter, trying to interpret her expression of surprise. "Are you willing to train, study and go to school in order to use your magic to its highest potential?" he asked quietly.  
  
During this entire dialogue, Audrey hadn't made one movement. Her eyes were open wide in astonishment and amazement, bulging a bit because of the impact of the news. And her lips were parted in a minute 'O,' her breathing short and choppy. She hadn't heard her father's question because in her mind, millions of different thoughts whirled around: 'A witch?' 'The owls.' 'Marianne's mysterious school.' 'Stardust.' 'Papa's cloaks.' 'Skinny wooden sticks.' 'Magic.' She couldn't think of any saying one single thought at a time. So many questions desired answering.  
  
"Oh! Audrey, say you'll go to Hogwarts with me!" Marianne begged from her side.  
  
"I'm a what? I have magic?" Audrey stuttered in disbelief.  
  
"A witch, Audrey, a witch!" Marianne squealed. "I'd show you, but I'm not allowed unless I'm in the castle, so I guess papa will have to show you." She glanced towards her father with a pleading look.  
  
"I suppose I'll have to demonstrate." Jonathan mumbled.  
  
"Just do something simple, papa," Marianne suggested.  
  
"Here we go." Jonathan took his wand and raised it, pointing it towards one of the brightly-wrapped presents. "Windgardium Leviosa!" he commanded with a swish of his wand. Audrey was astounded as the gift easily lifted off the coffee table and soared through the air, stopped in front of her face and simply dropped unto her lap. "Open it. It's from me," Jonathan whispered. Audrey took the small rectangular package and began to slip the bright blue wrapping off, all the while gazing curiously at her father. Inside she found a dark metal chain, sparkling in the dim light. "It's for the ring, so you can keep it safe with you at all times." Jonathan remarked.  
  
Audrey twisted the chain around her fingers as she got up and got hold of the ring. Her father gently took the ring and chain from her hands, strung them together and tied the chain around Audrey's neck.  
  
"Papa, what's the ring for?" Audrey shyly voiced. She fingered the ring lightly, and looked up to her father's face.  
  
"It was your mother's. She was going to give it to you herself, but she wanted to wait until you were eleven. But now you know. Wear it always and keep it safe with you. I believe your mother put it under a protection spell. You could say that part of her will always be with you." A single tear gushed out of Jonathan's eyes. "And Marianne has one as well. Show her, Marianne."  
  
"Yes, papa." Marianne got up and her hand went to her chest. She searched for a chain, and when she found it, she pulled it out, smoothly slipping it out of her shirt. She held part of it in her hands, tightly clutched around it. "Audrey, Mama gave me this when I was eleven, just like you." She grinned and revealed the upside of her palm. Sitting upon her upturned hand was a pendant attached to a similar dark metal chain like Audrey's. In the middle of the pendant a dark rose-colored stone was encrusted in the same dark, worn sterling metal of which Audrey's ring was made. The stone was also unpolished and it gleamed in the dimly lit room, causing the reflected light to appear pink on the creamy walls. Coming off to the sides from the stone were pieces of metal stretched into thick wires that swirled together in loops to form a dazzling piece of art.  
  
"What does it mean?" Audrey voiced. She tried to understand all that was happening. "So I'm going to a school where they teach magic?"  
  
"Are you angry?" Marianne took Audrey's hand in her own and looked into her eyes with a pleading stare. "I mean, we've just told you our biggest secret, one we've been keeping from you for ages."  
  
"Me, mad?" Audrey erupted with joyous laughter. "Of course not! It's just a bit of a shock, that's all. But you're serious, right? I mean, this isn't a birthday joke or anything?"  
  
"No." Jonathan got up from the couch and turned around to talk to his daughters. His figure gained a level of authority and he became business- like once again. "Marianne, you'll need to teach Audrey about our world, you'll need to make sure that she knows the important factors that rule what we believe in. In the meantime, I shall be searching for a more suitable residence."  
  
"Will you be out for long?" Marianne questioned with excitement.  
  
"I will be back after tomorrow night, maybe even later. Please take care and keep each other safe, you understand?"  
  
"Yes papa," Marianne smiled. "May we visit Diagon Alley? I need my new school supplies, and I think Audrey will be getting her list soon."  
  
"You may go tomorrow. But remember, be careful." He was deadly serious about this, Audrey could tell, because his eyes narrowed and his chin jutted out with importance. Suddenly, he rushed over to Audrey, brushed her forehead with his lips and uttered a soft "Happy Birthday, my dear" before he rapidly spun around and marched towards the door. His dark blue cloak whizzed through the air and into his outstretched hand. Before leaving the house, he called back "And Marianne, don't go anywhere near Knockturn Alley!" 


	4. Powers

The next morning, Audrey woke and found herself in the sitting room, laid down on the couch with Marianne stretched out on the carpet next to her. The drapes were still drawn and the light filtered through the cracks on the edges of the long sheets of dark blue curtain, filling the room with a dark, gloomy atmosphere. She sat up and lifted her arms up, reaching high above her to relax her strained muscles. And then she remembered the night before.  
  
It had been glorious, absolutely wonderful. She had discovered that she had magic in her blood and that she would be learning how do use her magic. She was a witch, a full-blooded witch. And she'd be getting her own wand, which would help her. The best part was that she was part of a wizarding family. Everyone, even her mother, had magic. It was as if the most illogical ideas had come true. After her father had left, she and Marianne had stayed up for most of the night, chatting about the new world that Audrey would be discovering the next day when they would be visiting an alley that was entirely magical. It was very exciting, and Audrey felt like awaking her sister so they could move on. But, as she gazed at her sleeping sister, she knew she just couldn't wake her, owing to the fact that Marianne looked so peaceful and at ease.  
  
Looking down at herself, she noticed that she was still wearing the same clothes as she had on the night before. She yawned deeply and decided that she must go get changed. There would be much to do that day. But as she swung her legs over to the side of the plushy sofa, Stardust sprang into the room and called to her with alert.  
  
'Hurry! In the kitchen!' He whisked away past the door and Audrey bolted up on her feet and quietly stepped over Marianne's resting body, as she didn't want to wake her.  
  
'What is it?' she called out to Stardust in her mind. He didn't answer so Audrey ran through the halls and into the kitchen, where she was greatly surprised. Hovering outside the window over the sink was a large, fluffy, brown owl, its golden eyes flashing at her. She rushed over to the window, unlocked the latch and the owl drifted through the casting and perched on the back of one of the chairs. Tied to one of its small, wrinkly legs was a roll of paper which looked very similar to an edition of some newspaper. And held in its bright yellow-colored beak was a thick letter with green writing scrawled on the front of it.  
  
'I wonder who's those are,' Audrey thought, staring intently at the strange creature that was placing the letter on kitchen table and attempting to untie the newspaper from his leg.  
  
'Why, I believe one's for you, young witch,' a soft, whispery voice resounded in her mind. Audrey couldn't understand. She'd only been able to talk with Stardust.was it possible that she could talk to other creatures? She hadn't tried it before, so maybe she could keep on asking it questions.  
  
'Really?' she smiled gracefully at the barn owl. 'I've never gotten mail this way.' Although it was a bit absurd, it was just wonderful knowing that this was the way real wizards communicated with each other (except for the other ways Marianne had tried to explain the night before, something about fireplaces. Audrey hadn't quite grasped the idea, though.).  
  
'I think it's from Hogwarts, Audrey.' Stardust's velvety voice pierced her mind.  
  
'Well, let me help you with that newspaper roll.' Audrey went over to the chair and gently outstretched her hands towards the owl. After reassuring herself that the owl wouldn't be harming her, she fingered the string, slipped the newspaper out of the owl's claw and placed it on top of the table.  
  
As Audrey began to reach for the letter that the great owl still mangled, Marianne swept past the doorway, energetic and completely awake, and perfectly comfortable that an enormous winged creature was perched happily on the kitchen chair, leaning towards a plate jammed with scones.  
  
"Help yourself, Moontrimmer," Marianne remarked while looking through the cabinets over the counters, clinking glass and shoving kitchen utensils aside.  
  
Moontrimmer jumped over to the plate and tried to nip a bit off of the scone closest to her. 'Oh dear! They're chocolate chip! My favorite!' Audrey heard the owl chirp contently.  
  
"Marianne, weren't you just sleeping? I didn't wake you, did I?" Audrey questioned, looking confusedly at the owl and then back to Marianne, who had stopped rummaging.  
  
"No, you didn't," Marianne just looked at Audrey with an expressionless face. "Where did papa hide it!" she suddenly slammed her fist down on the counter top and her face was perplexed.  
  
"Hide what?" Audrey was now really scared and confused beyond belief. She had no idea what was happening with her family. Not only was she a witch, her family was insane!  
  
"The vault," Marianne answered mechanically. She had begun to search frantically for it once again, this time inside the cabinets under the counter, crouching on her knees and banging the doors open and closed. An "Aha!" was emitted and Marianne whipped out her wand from her jean pocket. Marianne's face glowed with victory. "Audrey, I need for you to keep a secret." She looked at Audrey with a begging plead. Her eyes bore into Audrey's depths and hit her in the stomach. "Please, Audrey."  
  
"I might." Audrey couldn't just let Marianne walk all over her. Audrey wanted to find out what was going on, and if this was the only way, so be it. "First, you have to tell me what's going on. And then maybe I'll keep your secret." Audrey hated doing this to her older sister. But she sat down in a chair facing the one occupied by the owl Moontrimmer and folded her hands atop the table surface. She waited for Marianne's response with a small smile cracking her thin lips.  
  
"Oh, all right!" Marianne gave in. "I'll tell you! Sheesh!" She sat down next to Audrey and dropped her wand on the table next to the scones.  
  
'Could I have another bit of scone, do you think?' Moontrimmer politely asked while eying Audrey with expectancy.  
  
"Of course you may. Help yourself, like Mari said," Audrey replied without taking her shinning grey eyes off of Marianne.  
  
"What?" Marianne looked at her younger sister with the most questioning expression. "What did I say?"  
  
"Oh!" Audrey giggled. "I said that aloud, didn't I?"  
  
"Um, yes, dear sister," Marianne commented with a hint of deep sarcasm.  
  
"Sorry," Audrey grinned. "Remember how I can talk to Stardust?" Marianne nodded knowingly, but here dark eyebrows were still furrowed in puzzlement.  
  
"Well, it turns out I can kinda talk to Moontrimmer as well. She's really sweet! Where do you know her from?"  
  
As Audrey revealed her newly discovered information, Marianne's features brightened with understanding. "You know? You know about your powers, then?" Marianne's smile reached from ear to ear and her bright green eyes were wide in fascination.  
  
"Powers? I have powers?" The conversation about the vault was completely forgotten and thus emerged even more information.  
  
"Uh huh!" Marianne got up and went to the refrigerator, where from up above it she reached and brought down a plant. It was a beautiful species; its leaves shone with a glossy gleam and flowering on one side was a pale cream- colored bloom. Marianne gently placed the pot in the middle of the kitchen table and shoved the plate packed with scones to the side. "Look," Marianne ordered.  
  
Audrey shifted her gaze to the plant and curiously took in what she saw. Marianne was bent over, her chin resting on the table top, her playful green eyes glued to the plant. And then, in an instant, the miniture plant trembled with enthusiasm. "What was that?" Audrey gasped with excitement. "Did you do that, Mari?"  
  
Marianne was now beaming with pleasure. "I did," she smirked. "See, that's my power. I can talk, or more like communicate, with all types of plants. You name it! Flowers, trees, grass..." she kept listing more until Audrey stopped her.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Audrey shrieked with immense astonishment. "That means...why that means if you can talk - I mean communicate - with all plants, then I can probably do the same to all types of animals!" Audrey was so excited.  
  
"Uh huh!" Marianne bounced on her feet and squashed Audrey to her in a quick embrace.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me before? Audrey stood back and eyed her elder sister with wonder. "I mean, if you had some sort of power, why didn't papa tell me about it when you first found out about me and Stardust?"  
  
"Well, I don't really know, actually," Marianne replied. "Papa just told me not to tell you about my powers until you knew most of yours. And I'm assuming that you do now, right?"  
  
"Yes! I do! This is so awesome. I can talk to animals and you talk to plants! Who ever thought this would happen?" Audrey laughed gaily.  
  
'Audrey dear.' A fluttery voice echoed in Audrey's mind.  
  
"Yes Moontrimmer?" Audrey answered aloud so that Marianne would be able to hear part of the conversation.  
  
'I need a response and I need to deliever it back to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Here.' Moontrimmer scooped the thick letter into her beak and scuttled over to where Audrey sat.  
  
"Moontrimmer says I should open it and send a response." Audrey said while looking at her sister. "Should I?"  
  
"Of course you should! It's your letter from Hogwarts! See? The emblem on the back is our coat of arms. Go on, open it!" She smiled warmly and urged her on.  
  
Audrey took the letter from Moontrimmer's beak and turned it over to look at the purple wax seal. It was divided into four sections, each one containing an image of a creature with their own background color. Above all the creatures was a small banner that read Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And on the bottom of the emblem was a ribbon that encircled the coat of arms, saying Draco Dormeins Nunquam Titillandus.  
  
"It seems so important and, well, very important," Audrey said hesitantly. "What will it say?" she asked her sister.  
  
"Oh, it's not awful. It's really neat! Just open it already!" Marianne giggled. Audrey slid her finger underneath the emblem of Hogwarts, trying not to break the seal. Inside was a wad of parchment, which she promptly unfolded and laid down on the table top. She leaned over, with Marianne bent beside her, both of them reading the letter.  
  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE  
  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)  
  
Dear Ms. Moon,  
  
We are please to imform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall,  
  
Deputy Headmistress  
  
"Wow!" Audrey exclaimed after reading everything, from the acceptance to the supply list to the broomsticks rule. "This is so great! Are they serious about the broomsticks? You never told me real witches fly broomsticks!"  
  
"I didn't?" Marianne shrugged. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that you don't know much about our world. But yeah, we have broomsticks. Papa has one, but he never uses it. I've always wanted one."  
  
"Cool! Well, I guess I have lots to learn, don't I? Audrey grinned.  
  
"Yup," Marianne agreed. "Hey, now that you've received your supply list, we can go to London," Marianne added as she grabbed her wand. "Ok, here's the part you have to keep secret."  
  
Audrey nodded and watched her sister squat down and stick her head into the cabinet. "Adaperio" was Marianne's muffled remark. She fumbled with some unseen object for a moment and then she back out, straightened up and handed Audrey a little sack with a dark blue velvet drawstring.  
  
"What's this?" Audrey weighed the little brown pouch with her hands and tried to fell through the suede for the contents.  
  
"Well, it's wizard money. We have a different type that muggles." Audrey looked confusedly at Marianne. "Oh, um, muggles - meaning non-magic folk." Audrey's eyes widened. "And we neeed some to get our supplies."  
  
"Wait, are you telling me that the wizarding world even has its own money?" Audrey asked incredulously.  
  
Yes, but Audrey, you're not to tell anyone about the vault, understood?" Marianne's features became grave and her eyes narrowed at Audrey.  
  
"I understand, but-"  
  
"Don't ask, ok? You'll figure it out later. Just accept it for now."  
  
Marianne suddenly noticed that Moontrimmer was still waiting on Audrey. "Oh, you'd better write a quick note to Professor McGonagall to tell her that you'll be at school next semester."  
  
"Right." Audrey grabbed some paper and a ballpoint pen. As she began to write the date, Marianne interrupted her.  
  
"Um, Audrey," Marianne began with a smirk on her face.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Well, in our world, we use parchment and quills. I'll lend you some. And sorry, but paper just looks so strange."  
  
"Oh, ok," Audrey smiled. "You know, Mari, this wizarding thing just keeps getting better and better."  
  
"Well, it does. But you've got to remember that this isn't a thing. It's our world, our way of life. But don't worry, you'll get used to it in no time, I promise." Marianne left the kitchen and in a few moments returned with a bit of parchment as well as a dark red-feathered-quill and some ink. "Here you go," she huffed.  
  
"This is going to sound so stupid, but I've never done this before," Audrey stammered.  
  
"That's ok. You'd be doing it someday, why not now?" Marianne pushed the ink bottle over to Audrey and Audrey made up her mind and began to write.  
  
Professor McGonagall,  
  
I gladly accept entrance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
Audrey Moon  
  
"Is that good enough?" Audrey glanced at Marianne.  
  
"Yup, that's just fine. Tie it to Moontrimmer's leg. But wait...let's send Papa a note telling him about your letter. We can also let him know that we'll be out for most of today," Marianne said as she scrawled on another piece of parchment. "Ok, there." She stood back to look at her work.  
  
Audrey gently patted Moontrimmer on the head while Marianne prepared the owl for the delivery.  
  
'Thank you both,' Audrey heard Moontrimmer's rustling voice. 'And it was a pleasure to finally meet you.'  
  
"Same here," Audrey grinned. "Make sure you come back again, ok?"  
  
'Of course I'll come back, my dear! Why, I live here!' And with that, the great fluffy owl lifted off the table and soared through the open window.  
  
"She lives here? I've never seen her," Audrey remarked with surprise.  
  
"Of course she lives here! She's our owl; we've had her for ages, but she's not allowed in the house because of you...so nevermind." Marianne cleared the table, swiped the counter clean and turned to Audrey. "Well, let's get ready. We have a long day ahead of us!"  
  
As the two sisters climbed the stairs to their bedrooms, Audrey thought about what was to come. As hard as she tried, nothing in her dreams would ever live up to what she would experience later that day. 


End file.
